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German citizenship by naturalisation: how many years you need, and the three-year route that was removed

1 published version. Every version stays readable at its own address, and nothing is removed without a correction note.

  1. Version 1Current · created

    Record created.

    • Timeline added: The Act to Modernise Nationality Law was published in the Federal Law Gazette in March 2024.
    • Timeline added: The Act Amending the Nationality Act and Other Provisions was published in the Federal Law Gazette in October 2025.
    • Timeline added: The amending law took effect on 30 October 2025, ending the option of naturalisation after three years, according to the Federal Government.
    • Timeline added: The consolidated Nationality Act on Gesetze im Internet was last amended by a law published in the Federal Law Gazette in July 2026.
    • Confirmed: The Act to Modernise Nationality Law was published in the Federal Law Gazette in March 2024.
    • Confirmed: The Act as amended in March 2024 allowed the five-year period to be cut to three years for people with an exceptional level of integration, such as outstanding achievement at school, at work or in the community. They also needed German at level C1 and had to be able to support themselves.
    • Confirmed: The Act Amending the Nationality Act and Other Provisions was published in the Federal Law Gazette in October 2025.
    • Confirmed: In the current text of the Nationality Act, the subsection that allowed naturalisation after three years is marked as repealed. Five years is now the shortest regular period.
    • Confirmed: The consolidated Nationality Act on Gesetze im Internet was last amended by a law published in the Federal Law Gazette in July 2026.
    • Confirmed: BAMF's English naturalisation page, dated 30 June 2025, still says naturalisation is possible after three years for people with special integration achievements. BAMF's German page, updated in October 2026, lists only the five-year residence requirement.
    • Confirmed: The language requirement is German at level B1, shown by passing a B1 language exam.
    • Confirmed: Other conditions include a commitment to Germany's free democratic order and to its historical responsibility for the Nazi regime, a qualifying residence status, supporting yourself and your dependants without basic social benefits, and no criminal conviction.
    • Confirmed: The naturalisation test has 33 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes; 17 correct answers is a pass. It costs 25 euros. People with a German school-leaving certificate do not have to take it.
    • Confirmed: Naturalisation costs 255 euros per person, according to BAMF. The fee can be reduced or paid in instalments for people on low incomes.
    • Confirmed: Children born in Germany to foreign parents become German at birth, and can keep their parents' citizenship, if at least one parent has lived lawfully in Germany for more than five years and has a permanent right of residence.
    • Confirmed: A spouse or registered civil partner can be naturalised together with the applicant even if they have not yet lived in Germany for five years.
    • Source added: § 10 StAG - Einzelnorm (Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice))
    • Source added: Einbürgerung in Deutschland (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF))
    • Source added: Bundesgesetzblatt Teil I - Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Staatsangehörigkeitsrechts - Bundesgesetzblatt (Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette))
    • Source added: Neue Regelungen für Einbürgerung | Bundesregierung (Federal Government of Germany (Bundesregierung))
    • Source added: Nationality Act (Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice))
    • Source added: Bundesgesetzblatt Teil I - Gesetz zur Änderung des Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetzes sowie weiterer Vorschriften - Bundesgesetzblatt (Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette))
    • Source added: StAG - Staatsangeh�rigkeitsgesetz (Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice))
    • Source added: Bundesgesetzblatt Teil I - Gesetz zur besseren Verhinderung missbräuchlicher Anerkennungen der Vaterschaft und zur Änderung weiterer Vorschriften - Bundesgesetzblatt (Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette))
    • Source added: Naturalisation in Germany (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF))